What are Green Collar Jobs? (Plus 3 to Know About Now)

The growing concern over the state of environment has sparked a new and growing trend – green collar jobs. These workers focus specifically on industries that reduce waste and pollution. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, green collar jobs are either work that’s for businesses that create goods and services that benefit the environment or jobs whose responsibilities include making production processes that are more environmentally friendly. Unlike white and blue collar jobs, which have their own set of workers, you can find everyone from financial managers to plumbers in the green collar job sector. Labor workers in particular are looking to go greener because making the switch doesn’t require a lot of additional schooling or training. Many green collar trades can be learned on the job or just by taking LEED certification courses. Here are three examples of blue collar jobs that can easily go green.

HVAC Technicians

When a building or home needs to be upgraded so it’s more energy efficient, workers with experience as an HVAC Technicians are needed. Known as energy retrofitters in the green collar job world, these workers are responsible for making the necessary upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems so they expend less energy as well as assist with energy audits that need to be done along the way. Besides being familiar working with these systems, workers also would need to understand energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. Taking LEED and energy management certification courses is a good idea if you’re looking to transition into this type of green collar job.

Roofing

A green collar job that would be a great fit for those with experience in roof installation is a Green Roof Installer. Instead of working with asphalt shingles, tar and other common materials in this line of work, these blue collar workers are using vegetation and other environmentally friendly materials to create roof tops that insulate and improve air quality. They may also be responsible for installing irrigations systems and assisting in the overall design. Having a background in landscaping is a huge plus in this type of job.

Electricians

Electricians have many options when it comes to landing a green collar job. They can make the move into energy retrofitting where their expertise is needed to upgrade electrical systems. Hydroelectric plants, which use the power of water to generate power, need these tradesmen to maintain and repair power fixtures. Electricians can also become solar panel installers, who are responsible for the electrical wiring. Just like many other blue collar jobs, electricians can learn the skills they need to do this line of work on the job.

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